The modern wedding traditions
Out with the old, in with the new modernise wedding traditions.
While some newly engaged couples still hew to tradition, other head to a luxurious island instead of a church, choose a sapphire instead of a diamond, or even look at their partner’s outfit before the big moment. It is all about you and your dream wedding, whatever that looks like.
The fact is, times are changing, and weddings are far from exempt. With that in mind, I have reviewed ancient and recent history to find some of the most old-fashioned traditions that simply are not today’s norm, like the fact that did you know once a bride was not even allowed to give a toast at her own reception (sad, but true), or that only the father of the house hold was allowed to walk the bride down the aisle and give her away. I can guarantee that you’ll be surprised by some of the traditions once strongly dictated.
The “first look” had to be saved for the ceremony.
While some couples do still hold true to the superstition that it’s “bad luck” for the groom to see the bride in her dress prior to the wedding. There has been a rise in the trend towards having a private, “first look” photo shoot immediately prior to the ceremony, so that the happy couple can enjoy their pre-canapes with guest and not miss out on any of the excitement. Some people do speculate that the benefit of sticking to tradition is that everyone can observe the happy couple’s adorable reactions to seeing each other for the first time on their big day.
2. Rings could only have one gem: diamonds.
Traditionally only diamonds could be a girl’s best friend, at least in terms of engagement rings. In 1939, De Beers jewellery company marketing campaign illustrated that gem’s propensity would scratch and chip however “Diamonds are Forever.” Today, society is more about what you love and want to wear forever is your best friend, couples have opt for diamonds and had engagement rings made with pearls, amethyst or turquoise.
3. Only men can give a toast at the reception
Dunbar’s Complete Handbook of Etiquette outlined a strict wedding order that included at the wedding reception toasts in its 1834 edition. In the edition it highlighted that males must recite their “healths” for each other in a specific wedding speech order, from the oldest family friend, the groom, the best man, and the father of the bride. It was against tradition that the ladies were given an opportunity to say a few words (much less allowed). In modern times it is common for the bride and groom to do a joint wedding toast.
4. Instead of the cake cutting
In medieval times, bakers would stack individual cake layers as high as possible for a couple’s wedding dessert. The newlyweds’ fate was then put to the ultimate test when the couple had to kiss over the towering layers. If successful, the couple was guaranteed a prosperous life together. Today, tiered wedding cakes are extremely popular, ranging from three to seven tiers. However, couple have also opt to have cheese towers, wedding cake pinata, ice cream buffets and also donut walls. Leaving the traditional wedding cake to what the couples love.
5. The giving away of the Bride
The giving away tradition goes back to marriage meaning the exchange of a daughter from her father’s family to her groom’s, which is why fathers traditionally walked their daughters down the aisle, giving them away. In modern times the bride chooses whether her father, mother and father or a close male friend is to give her away. Some brides opt out to this tradition. Everyone has a different circumstance and the chose is yours.
